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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

En Manakkoottukkulle

From Manakanakku · 1986

Lyricist
Panchu Arunachalam
Singer
P. Jayachandran
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Manakanakku1986

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
En mana koottukkullaeInside the cage of my heart
Oru kiliyai valarththaenaeI raised a parrot
Adhan azhagai rasichchenaeI admired its beauty
Naan ennai maranthaenaeAnd I forgot myself
Male
En mana koottukkullaeInside the cage of my heart
Oru kiliyai valarththaenaeI raised a parrot
Adhan azhagai rasichchenaeI admired its beauty
Naan ennai maranthaenaeAnd I forgot myself
Naan ennai maranthaenaeAnd I forgot myself
Male
Eppothum unna kann pola kappenI will always protect you like my own eye
Mamana marakkaathae mamana marakkaathaeDon't forget your uncle, don't forget your uncle
Male
Chinna chinna veedu kattiBuilding small toy houses
Suththi suththi odi vanthuRunning around in circles
Chinna pillai kaalam thottuSince childhood days
Vanthathintha sontha ammaaThis bond was born, my dear
Male
Kollaiyilae vachcha kodiLike a creeper planted in the backyard
Komba suththi valarnthaarpolaThat grows twining around a branch
Enna suththi nee valarnthaeYou grew up revolving around me
Unna suththi naan valarnthaenAnd I grew up revolving around you
Enna suththi nee valarnthaeYou grew up revolving around me
Unna suththi naan valarnthaenAnd I grew up revolving around you
Male
Epothum unna kann pola kappenI will always protect you like my own eye
Mamana marakkaathaeDon't forget your uncle
Male
En mana koottukullaeInside the cage of my heart
Oru kiliyai valarththaeneI raised a parrot
Adhan azagai rasichenaeI admired its beauty
Naan ennai maranthaenaeAnd I forgot myself
Naan ennai maranthaenaeAnd I forgot myself
Male
Manja poosi kulikkaiyilaeWhen you bathed applying turmeric
Maranjirunthu paarththathunduI have watched you while hiding
Maththapadi thappu yaedhumOther than that, tell me
Maman kitta undaa solluIs there any fault in this uncle?
Male
Thoongaiyilum un mugamthaanEven while sleeping, it is your face
Thoonguthadi en manasilThat slumbers inside my heart
Kann vizhiththu paarkkumpothuWhen I open my eyes and look
Kannukkullae nikkiriyaeYou stand right inside my eyes
Kann vizhiththu paarkkumpothuWhen I open my eyes and look
Kannukkullae nikkiriyaeYou stand right inside my eyes
Male
Maavaduva pangu pottuSharing tender mangoes
Kaakkaa kadi kadichchu thinnomWe ate them sharing bites
Marakkalaiyae antha sugamI haven't forgotten that sweet joy
Kedaikkaiyae niththam niththamEven if it isn't available every single day
Male
Velai vanthu neram paarththuFinding the right auspicious time
Vettrilaiyil paakku vachchuPlacing betel nut on betel leaf
Sontham kolla kaaththirukkaenI am waiting to claim my rightful bond
Paasamulla paingiliyaeO affectionate parrot
Sontham kolla kaaththirukkaenI am waiting to claim my rightful bond
Paasamulla paingiliyaeO affectionate parrot
Male
Epothum unna kann pola kappenI will always protect you like my own eye
Mamana marakkaathaeDon't forget your uncle
Male
En mana koottukullaeInside the cage of my heart
Oru kiliyai valarththaeneI raised a parrot
Adhan azagai rasichenaeI admired its beauty
Naan ennai maranthaenaeAnd I forgot myself
Naan ennai maranthaenaeAnd I forgot myself

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

"En Mana Koottukkullae" is a soulful folk-style romantic song from the 1986 Tamil movie 'Manakanakku', composed by M. S. Viswanathan and penned by Panchu Arunachalam. The song captures the heartfelt emotions of a man expressing deep love and affection for his cross-cousin ('Murai Penn'). He compares his love for her to raising a sweet parrot inside the cage of his mind and promises to protect her like his own eyes. The lyrics vividly recall tender childhood memories—building toy houses, sharing raw mangoes, and growing up closely intertwined like a vine wrapped around a branch. The protagonist looks forward to formally proposing to her with traditional betel leaves and nuts, pleading with her never to forget the special bond they share.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

En mana koottukkullae Oru kiliyai valarththaenae

Compares the speaker's heart/mind to a cage ('mana koottukullae') and the beloved to a parrot ('kiliyai') raised within it.

Simile (Uvamai)

Eppothum unna kann pola kappen

Uses 'pola' to compare protecting the beloved to safeguarding one's own eyes.

Simile (Uvamai)

Kollaiyilae vachcha kodi Komba suththi valarnthaarpola

Compares their interdependent growth since childhood to a vine ('kodi') growing twined around a supporting stick ('komba suththi').

Repetition / Rhythm (Sol Pinvarunilai Ani)

Chinna chinna veedu katti Suththi suththi odi vanthu

Repetition of words like 'Chinna chinna' and 'Suththi suththi' adds a playful, rhythmic folk cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Manakanakku' (1986) features Vijayakanth and Radha in lead roles and is notable for a special guest appearance by Kamal Haasan playing a film director. The song highlights M. S. Viswanathan's skill in blending traditional Tamil folk phrasing with melodic orchestral arrangements, exquisitely rendered by P. Jayachandran.

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